1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for rendering using a mipmap.
2. Description of Related Art
Texture mapping is a technique in which a detailed texture or a color is applied to a surface of a three-dimensional (3D) virtual object in computer graphics. A texture is an image applied to a surface of an object during texture mapping. In general, a two-dimensional (2D) texture that is a two-dimensional still image is used in texture mapping. In this regard, a “mipmap” technique is used to improve a rendering speed and prevent aliasing.
In the texture mapping field of 3D graphics, a mipmap is a collection of bitmap images formed of a basic texture and textures that are previously, consecutively reduced textures of the basic texture, to improve a rendering speed. When using the mipmap, an appropriate texture is used considering the size of an object to be covered with the texture at the final result. In other words, mipmap images of various sizes are prepared and texture mapping is performed by using a mipmap image having a size that is most approximate to a polygon to be mapped.
In order to use the mipmap, bitmap data of a mipmap image collection are previously generated and stored in a memory. When a mipmap image is generated by reducing horizontal and virtual lengths of the mipmap image to ½, about 1.33 times of memory capacity is needed, compared to a case in which only an original image (a mipmap image of level 0) is stored.
In the texture mapping, as the size of a texture increases for a high quality image, storage capacity is increased and transmission costs are increased, and thus, a load is applied to a system. Accordingly, research to reduce computational burden for generating mipmaps and memory usage, which are needed due to the use of a mipmap, is being performed.